Ophelia (given name)


Ophelia is a feminine given name, probably derived from the Ancient Greek word ὠφέλεια.
The name is best known as a character from William Shakespeare's Hamlet who has a tragic end. More modern associations, including Ophelia, a song by The Lumineers, now also influence perceptions of the name, which also has a history of use dating back to the late 1800s. Author Laura Wattenberg noted that the name is elegant, exotic, and similar in style to the popular name Olivia but has a more Gothic, romantic sensibility that some parents find appealing. Ophelia has also been the subject of numerous songs, paintings, film and television productions.
Ofelia is the Spanish-language spelling of the name.

Usage

The name has ranked among the top 1,000 names for girls in the United States since 2015 and among the top 300 since 2022.
It has also increased in usage in England and Wales, where it has been ranked among the top 500 names since 2009 and among the top 100 names for girls since 2022. It also ranks among the top 200 names in Canada, where it ranked 152nd on the popularity chart in 2021.

People with the given name

Ophelia

Ofelia

Fictional characters